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Starting Over: A Useful Guide to Moving to a New City and Making New Friends

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A city street

Moving to another city and starting your life all over is always difficult, whether you’re doing it alone or with your family. There will be times when things will seem impossible and senseless and you might feel depressed, lonely and helpless. However, it’s all normal and it doesn’t mean the game is over. 

Half of your battle is being ready and prepared so you know what challenges lay ahead and here are several tips that could help you have a smoother transition. 

A laptop

Do some pre-move research

Going through Google maps can be useful but once you arrive, you might discover the unpleasant fact that various areas of the city have no cell phone service. Even though you won’t need your map with you all the time, it’s good to keep it in a visible place such as your kitchen wall or the living room coffee table. It’ll be easier to familiarize with the area you live in and mark any important spots and routes you’ve already visited.

It’s also recommendable you do some research of the city in advance beyond the typical tourist information available on Reddit and other sites. Check out the city’s subreddit and local blogs to learn about the unsafe areas, typical problems, local people’s mentality and habits, history of the city and cultural life of the community. 

Packed moving boxes

Be selective when you pack

Packing your belongings sounds simple but it’s probably one of the hardest and most stressful parts of your move. Particularly if you’re moving alone, taking too much stuff is not advisable as you’ll have no one to help you unpack once you arrive. In addition, starting fresh in a new place is a unique chance to donate, sell and get rid of as much as you can which can be quite a cleansing experience. Also, having less stuff could save you some money during the actual move.

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Determine the best moving option

Much more than before, families today are often relocating and in New Zealand as well, young families with toddlers move more frequently than in other countries. Residential mobility has become an important part of New Zealand contemporary life that has a strong impact on community life in terms of keeping the kids at school and making sure the houses are healthy, safe and affordable.

If you’re looking for a way to make your move as cost-effective as possible, you might consider relying on truck rental in Auckland as they offer various options that include portable containers and trailers that can save you a lot of money in transport costs in the long run. 

A woman walking down the street

Get out and explore your new city

An important part of making your new city feel like home is getting out there and learning about it. Starting the research by checking out the local nature and scenery, parks, hidden paths, hiking trails and beaches is a great idea. If you come across a spot that’s similar to something you had back home, it can help a great deal if you feel homesick. 

You should also make an effort to go out and visit events, even if you’re a homebody. With your partner or alone, go to festivals, concerts, parties, fundraisers and work events. It will help you feel less alone and more a part of the local community. You can also find a club to join depending on your interests – yoga, fitness, gym, pottery, painting, volunteering projects etc. 

You can leave making new friends to chance or you can push things a bit in the right direction by joining meet-up groups. They unite people of similar interests and you’ll surely have things in common with some of them. If not, just move on to the next. In any case, it will get you in contact with many different people on a weekly basis and you’ll start developing your network of friends and contacts. It’s just important to be out there and not rush things. Embrace the opportunities, walk through every door that opens and be patient.

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Once you’ve decided to relocate to a new city and start over, you need to have an open mind and an open heart as well. When you open yourself to new experiences and make the necessary changes, you create more physical, mental and emotional space for all great new things to come. You’ll have an opportunity of starting a new chapter in your life, learn about the world and yourself as well and create the life you’ve always dreamed of.

Derek Lotts is a Sydney based writer and researcher, a regular contributor at Smooth Decorator blog. He writes about décor, gardening, recycling, ecology and business. He thinks all of these topics fall under the self-improvement category. He believes in the power of sharing ideas and communicating via the internet to achieve betterment.

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